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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28604334">An Acceptance of Silver</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribblesInTheMargins/pseuds/ScribblesInTheMargins'>ScribblesInTheMargins</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Post-Canon, soft fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:13:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28604334</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribblesInTheMargins/pseuds/ScribblesInTheMargins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yuri had spent a lifetime in pursuit of gold where second place was never enough.</p>
<p>Maybe, just maybe he can finally accept that first place isn't always what he needs.</p>
<p>Second places, second homes, all the precious things marked by that color.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Victor Nikiforov/Yuri Plisetsky</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>YOI Rare Pair Week 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An Acceptance of Silver</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumage/gifts">Plumage</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a little vignette of the events after Resilience.</p>
<p>It isn't necessary to have read the original story.</p>
<p>This is about 6 years post-series and Yuri is both a skater and a coach. Victor, after his divorce, moved back to St. Petersburg to help with coaching,  They fell in love.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Russian Nationals and Yuri was exhausted.  He was often exhausted though, but it was worth it.  Not only had he spent the past few days being one of the coaches of his juniors now turned seniors, but he had also competed.  This was all worth it though.  Sophia hadn't medaled, but with how strong the competition was, her fifth-place had been amazing.  Alexandr though, oh Alexandr.  This moment was perfect.  Yuri reached down to help the young man up to the first place position on the podium.  If he was going to lose to anyone, to lose to his student with his choreography was probably the best way for this to have ever happened.  It was perfect, or as perfect as Yuri's life ever was.  These days, that level of perfect was much higher than it had used to be.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The controversy about his love life had settled down.  Maybe the Russian press was just happy this meant that Victor wasn't running off to some foreign country.  Maybe Yuri and Victor were just so boring that aside from an over decade size age gap, there just wasn't anything to report.  Dates at the Mariinsky accompanied by Yakov and Lilia just didn't sell papers.  Visits to the Hermitage did little to raise eyebrows.  Most of the 'interesting' in Yuri and Victor's lives came in the very public realm of figure skating.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time the gala was over and the banquet party was winding down, Yuri was exhausted.  His skaters were well behaved, he didn't need to stay and babysit them.  He could devote all his attention to Victor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With his arms resting on Victor's shoulders, and eyes only half-open, he was slow dancing to something and not entirely paying attention to the pace of the music.  He was half asleep, just smiling at Victor as they danced in a darkened corner of the hotel banquet hall.  No one thought anything when Victor leaned in to kiss him.  These days, Victor wasn't hesitant to show Yuri how he felt, and the man was still so very much in love.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, Victor drew away, just enough to whisper words, "How does it feel to be surpassed by your student?"  The question was soft, he knew Yuri was in a wonderful mood.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Amazing. How many years has the skate club existed and finally a student that listens to his coach?  Neither of us ever did."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm the reason Yakov lost his hair."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm the reason he had to move back in with his ex-wife."  Yuri started to laugh as soon as he said it.  While Victor and Lilia were still technically divorced, no one would be able to tell if they didn't know.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, yes.  That is clearly such a hardship."  Victor pressed forward, letting his forehead rest against Yuri's.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The two of them are happy, or should I say three?"  Yuri leaned in, letting his lips press against Victor's.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Potya is very happy there."  Victor paused though.  Every sense was focused on how Yuri reacted, and there was a moment, just for an instant, where there was sadness at that.  He leaned back in, pressing a kiss to the other man's mouth.  Tonight there was nothing he could do about that sadness.  He wouldn't forget it though.  Victor knew he couldn't make every moment of Yuri's life happy, but he could try.  Tonight, they could just dance until the party ended and Yuri would end up in his arms again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The next week, it was the one day of the week they could sleep in.  Sometimes Yuri woke up early to take Lilia to church, but most Sundays found the man sound asleep on Victor's chest as the morning light filled their bedroom.  Victor smiled as he looked at that blond hair in a mess.  He wanted this, more than anything, this was what he wanted.  To be able to love this force of nature sleeping in his bed would be enough for the rest of his life.  He had plans for today though, and with a soft kiss, he woke Yuri up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They didn't have to rush, and this was far from the first morning that Victor had insisted on trying a new place for breakfast.  When Yuri finally got out of the car though, the cafe was a very specific type of cafe.  Yuri only raised an eyebrow as he waited for Victor to reach him.  This was a cat cafe.  Yuri was no stranger to such places; however, he had never been to </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> one, and in fact, he hadn't been to one in a little while.  Going to a place like this made the temptation to leave with a cat a little more than he had been prepared for.  "Is this a hint, old man?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whatever do you mean, my love?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuri rolled his eyes, but he was far from annoyed.  Sometimes when Victor did these things, he loved it so much -- not that he admitted it.  He didn't move away from the hand at his waist and he didn't complain too much as Victor led him into the cafe.  Soon they were seated at a table eating pastries and drinking fancy coffee as the resident cats decided if they wished to investigate these new people.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuri held his cup of coffee, cradling it in both hands as he just raised an eyebrow at Victor.  He was patient.  He was going to make Victor use words and not just grandiose gestures though.  He had food and coffee, waiting was not any sort of hardship.  That he had a brown tabby curled up next to him and a white cat with a few brown patches of fur playing with his laces only made it better.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, Victor voiced his thought process, "With Potya living with Lilia and how much time we are both spending at the apartment … It sometimes seems a little empty?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It was not empty when Christophe and his husband visited."  Yuri was trying to sound annoyed, but the smile he was fighting radiated the fallacy of the annoyance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes yes, however, I believe you prefer my friends wearing more than just a collar with a bell."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Vitya!"  Yuri shook his head, rolling his eyes and laughing, "No, no, I do not want to imagine that.  Why did you say that?  Now …. Also, they are our friends."  He was somehow laughing and sighing in exasperation at the same time as he fired off a quick text to Christophe.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <span>&lt;&lt; If there is a picture of you wearing only a collar, I do NOT want to see it.  Also, tell Victor that is not appropriate breakfast conversation</span>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Victor was just smiling as he sipped his coffee, finally speaking, "I think we should think about getting a cat."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What about your couch?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yura, there is no piece of furniture in that apartment that is more important than you being happy."  The shift in his demeanor was so quick.  For a moment, Yuri was left looking back into those ice-blue eyes.  Victor was serious.  Victor meant this.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You could have told me before we got here."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I could have, but then I wouldn't have gotten to see that momentary look of excitement on your face when you realized where we were."  He was smiling, knowing that the rest of the verbal dance was just that.  This was just their back and forth -- being in love with Yuri was never going to be 'easy', but in some ways loving Yuri was easier than breathing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a smile, Yuri stood up, coffee in hand as he left the table to meet a few more cats.  He wasn't in a hurry, this was an important decision.  Tomorrow he would be back to training for Europeans.  Today he got to walk around a room and meet several cats.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Victor sat and guarded the pastries from feline pilferers, his phone chimed.  He couldn't hide the laugh.  The message from Christophe was simple.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <span>&gt;&gt; Evidently Yura does not want to know this exists?</span>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The picture that was attached was exactly what Victor expected it to be.  It was tasteful, but decidedly nude.  He loved that Yuri was so comfortable around Christophe.  Losing that friendship again would be so hard, but he didn't have to worry about that at all.  Yuri did not have any jealousy towards Christophe even with the man's constant flirting.  Victor very much knew where the line was for Yuri though, and he would never cross it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <span>&lt;&lt; I will not be showing that to him.  Plenty of time to train for Europeans tomorrow.  I'm going to make reservations though, we all need to get together for dinner.</span>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Victor knew dinner would turn to dinner and drinks and maybe a late night.  He'd make sure it was a night that Yuri didn't have early morning responsibilities.  He also knew Yuri wouldn't drink during a competition, so he'd make sure there was an after competition get together as well.  Maybe they'd both visit Switzerland in the off season again.  He'd figure it out later, right now he was too busy watching Yuri walk around the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Victor sat up straighter as  Yuri got down on his hands and knees.  He was looking at something behind a couch, and of course, it was a cat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuri had barely wriggled back to where the cat was when a staff person was approaching him, "She's a medical foster right now, so she …"  The girl stopped when she saw the cat press its head to Yuri's hand.  "She is probably going to need surgery."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Victor didn't say anything, just watching as Yuri ended up sitting partially behind a couch on the floor with a grey tabby on his lap, her fur on one front arm shaved and with a partial tail.  He knew how this was going to play out.  He saw that look.  Maybe he'd step in and make sure things went how they were going to go, but he knew exactly what was going to happen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took twenty minutes and a call to Potya's vet.  They had the cat in a cardboard carrier and a vet appointment for tomorrow after practice.  Victor knew the amount he was paying was not the typical adoption fee, but Yuri hardly ever asked for anything expensive.  He couldn't say no.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stayed behind the woman as she took the adoption picture with Yuri and the cat who was named Sedina.  Victor knew that name was going to change very soon.  As Yuri filled out his information, Victor just watched.  Then, the unexpected happened.  Yuri looked over at him and then passed the clipboard and pen over.  "Right here.  This line is yours."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Victor had not anticipated this.  He took the pen and wrote his name on the line right under Yuri's before he signed the paper.  Paying, yes, he had thought he'd do that.  Actually be one of the people adopting the cat -- that was unexpected, and Victor was not stupid enough to say a word.  He took the gesture for what it was.  Maybe he hadn't been reading Yuri right.  No, he was just being cautious, maybe too cautious.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Victor had dropped off Yuri at the apartment before he went to the store to get all the things on the list Yuri had written for the cat.  He was not going to refer to her as Sedina.  The cat would have a new name by the time he got back.  Yuri had claimed he was just waiting for her to tell him what it was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes you just had to take a gamble in life.  Yuri was worth every gamble.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cat litter, cat food, a scratching post, a nice cat carrier, several toys and everything else on Yuri's list was dragged up the elevator and into the apartment.  He had forgotten the collar, or at least that was what he said.  It took most of the day to get her situated, and Yuri still wasn't sure of her name.  Food for dinner was ordered in, and finally, once they were ready for bed, Victor put his plan into motion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claiming to have forgotten something in the living room, he pressed a kiss to Yuri's cheek before walking back out to where the cat was sniffing at the scratching post.  With several treats to coerce her into compliance, Victor placed a pink leopard print collar around her neck.  Gently, he walked back with her to the bedroom, "She's going to end up sleeping in here anyways, so I thought …"  He let the words trail off as he gently set her on the bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, girl."  Yuri sat up, eyes half-closed already.  This had been a much more active day off than he had planned, and they had an early day tomorrow.  He reached out to pet her, his fingers finding that perfect spot behind her ear.  "I thought you said you forgot a collar."  This collar was clearly not forgotten, this was perfect.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuri froze, his fingers holding what should have been a bell.  It wasn't.  Instead of a little cheap piece of metal jingling from her collar, there was a silver-colored ring.  "Vitya?"  His voice was so soft as he gently took a hold of their new cat, as he placed her on his lap so he could take the ring off her collar.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Victor normally was so good at reading Yuri, but right now, he was worried this hadn't been a good idea.  He kept his voice calm, whispering, "You don't have to say yes or no.  You don't have to answer, I had to ask though.  I love you. I want this.  All of this.  Forever."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuri didn't look up, instead, he was looking at the cat in his lap.  The injured and overlooked animal in his lap that they had taken in. They weren't her first home, but they were going to be her forever home.  Second didn't mean less.  Sometimes it meant that you finally found the right one.  "</span>
  <span>Serebristy</span>
  <span>? Are you okay with me saying yes?"  His fingers never left the grey cat in his lap as he looked up at Victor, "I guess I really do like silver?"  He was smiling even as tears filled his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Silver?  You're naming her silver?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know Alexandr says it's my favorite color."  This time the smile was stronger as Yuri nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Victor took a hold of Yuri's hand, sliding the metal band onto Yuri's finger, "It's platinum."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You keep saying that."  Yuri couldn't keep a straight face as he teased, laughing as he leaned forward to kiss Victor.  They'd figure out the details later, right now, tonight, things were perfect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is dedicated to Plumage, your comments and support have been cherished to a degree I can not even articulate.  Thank you.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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